My struggle with smoking addiction

[Someone here]

I just can't put the damn cigarettes down .even tho it's ruining my health .i need help. 

This is an absolute necessity. I cannot continue like this. im raping my health. Yet all this doesn't seem to make me stop. I have other reasons that I believe are making it difficult for me but I won't get into them here to not make this too abstract. 

it's affecting my physical.. Mental.. And psychological health to a very disturbing degree. It's not possible to live a healthy life without putting it down. If I don't quit.. It will catch up with me more and more and eventually I will end up having lungs cancer or whatever. I'm a heavy smoker. 4 packs a week or something is too much. And I'm already starting to feel the negative consequences. I can't run without feeling like losing my breath completely. My energy is getting lower. My appetite is decreased. And a lot more.

Time to take this shit seriously and stop. 

Edited June 10, 2022 by Someone here

[Orb]

I'm addicted to nicotine too with vapes! So I get the struggle.

 

When you're ready you'll be ready. I've been off of it for a long time before so I know it's possible. 

 

Maybe prepare a couple days and be extra focused on the first three days that you quit. I'd set up a routine for the first few days and stick to it. 

 

Fill those first 3 days of withdrawal with stuff to do to keep yourself occupied.

 

I'm gonna be doing that very soon.

[Someone here]

15 minutes ago, Orb said:

I'm addicted to nicotine too with vapes! So I get the struggle.

 

When you're ready you'll be ready. I've been off of it for a long time before so I know it's possible. 

 

Maybe prepare a couple days and be extra focused on the first three days that you quit. I'd set up a routine for the first few days and stick to it. 

 

Fill those first 3 days of withdrawal with stuff to do to keep yourself occupied.

 

I'm gonna be doing that very soon.

What kind of routine?  I feel like it's not worth it because of health consequences yet despite that I keep smoking ? Any insight as to why I do this ?

[Orb]

1 hour ago, Someone here said:

What kind of routine? 

@Someone here Setting up a list of stuff to do like working out, meditating, stretching, etc. Just taking the first 3 days as "hustle days" . Essentially filling up your day with so many coping strategies that youll be occupied with them all day. 

 

Just remember each step you take, each coping strategy you use will bring relief. 

 

Id find a good 3 days that you know you wont have as many social obligations (Work, school, etc.), then fill those days up with the new habits you want to instill, then be very focused/deliberate when it comes to doing all of these new habits. 

 

During withdrawal id say the thing that makes us relapse the most is that one moment when we have nothing to do, then we begin to negotiate whether we should relapse or not. 

 

 

Id do this out of self love btw. 

 

Also, I think the answer is simple, its addictive thats all, probably has something to do with discordant beliefs that are being suppressed. A pattern of using unhealthy coping strategies to deal with stress has probably been going on for a while. Stress is fine and perfectly natural, the question is will you smoke a few cigarettes to wind down? Or will you go for a run?

 

Id start adopting more healthy coping strategies, although I wouldnt call them coping strategies anymore, by that point youre just thriving and having fun. You were "coping" when you smoked all the time. 

[Faith]

Allen Carr's  book called- "Easy way to stop smoking",   and then  completely abstain. 

 

I've talked about my smoking "story" on here before. I quit completely 4 or 5 yrs ago. I can't remember exactly. 🤔

[Orb]

@Faith I really appreciate your post, just listening to this guy for a few minutes has given me so much hope! ❤️ 

[Faith]

8 hours ago, Orb said:

@Faith I really appreciate your post, just listening to this guy for a few minutes has given me so much hope! ❤️ 

 

Your welcome. I also went to "mostly" vaping, but still smoked when I felt like it. I vaped all the time. I was just as addicted to vaping as I was to smoking (both are nicotine). 

 

I smoked/vaped for a few decades. So if I can quit, then literally anyone can. Especially  because I started smoking at a very young age and I loved it.  I would still do it if it wasn't an unhealthy and very expensive addiction.

 

[Nowt]

I stopped smoking using the Allen Carr book as well. Really helped a lot. He actually encourages you to smoke the whole way through the book until the very end and then there's a chapter called "Your last cigarette". I lit my last one whilst reading the chapter and couldn't finish it.

 

I'd highly recommend it. I haven't smoked now for about 15 years. Good luck... it's one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life so I feel for you. 

[Orb]

@Nowt @Faith just got the audiobook last night!

[Faith]

@Orb Good luck!

[Nowt]

3 minutes ago, Orb said:

@Nowt @Faith just got the audiobook last night!

 

Brilliant! Good luck with it all. 😍

[Orb]

After listening to the audiobook, I decided that I can only quit once I really say NO to it, thats simply the case. @Nowt @Faith

 

Im gonna keep vaping today and just fully feeling the whole experience, then if im ready, will stop forever.

[fopylo]

@Orb

1 hour ago, Orb said:

Im gonna keep vaping today and just fully feeling the whole experience, then if im ready, will stop forever.

That's good to hear man! As long as there's no pressure. Dare I even say - have fun with it! Being motivated to try to avoid as much as possible can create shame and guilt around it (and you focus on the desire not to vape).

I vaped today quite a lot, more than usual but it even felt kinda forced, like I'm forcing myself to vape haha

[Orb]

@fopylo I threw it out a few mins ago after buying a high quality cbd vape.

 

According to studies, CBD is really good for quitting nicotine. 

 

after getting a solid dose of cbd, my desire for nicotine is mostly gone, I'm gonna use it for the next week.

[Faith]

7 hours ago, Orb said:

After listening to the audiobook, I decided that I can only quit once I really say NO to it, thats simply the case. @Nowt @Faith

 

Im gonna keep vaping today and just fully feeling the whole experience, then if im ready, will stop forever.

If you do you do, if you don't you don't. 🤷‍♀️

 

I smoked/vaped for decades. Tried to stop tons of times. So, I know "all" the tricks of the mind to keep the addiction going. 

 

 

 

[Orb]

@Faith actually completely stopped today, I found something that really helps! CBD! 

 

According to some studies, it shows some promise that it's good for easing withdrawal so I tried it and was shocked when my cravings went away and mood improved. 

 Great alternative to nicotine imo.

[Faith]

34 minutes ago, Orb said:

@Faith actually completely stopped today, I found something that really helps! CBD! 

 

According to some studies, it shows some promise that it's good for easing withdrawal so I tried it and was shocked when my cravings went away and mood improved. 

 Great alternative to nicotine imo.

 

So my ex-smoker brain has this to say 🙂...perhaps you just found a way to prolong your being able to inhale "something". True smoker/vaper addicts know that's at least a 1/4 of the battle. That oral fixation is hard to replace. I been there too. Like I said, I had thought or done, everything. 

 

When I was doing the pans tonight after dinner I was thinking of this thread and what came to mind was that even babies have to deal with addiction. First giving up their binkies, after using it for comfort for months, then when they have to give up the bottle. My God my toddler son looked like a crack addict withdrawaling when I took away the bottle for good, not even kidding. I had weaned him to just before bed only, but that didn't matter. Knowing it was .. gone...was too much for him.  Screaming, crying, throwing himself down on the floor repeatedly. 

 

He's almost 30 now, so makes me laugh to remember it. 😂

 

 

[Orb]

15 minutes ago, Faith said:

 

So my ex-smoker brain has this to say 🙂...perhaps you just found a way to prolong your being able to inhale "something". True smoker/vaper addicts know that's at least a 1/4 of the battle. That oral fixation is hard to replace. I been there too. Like I said, I had thought or done, everything. 

@Faith feels great! And super fun, I haven't felt as revitalized like the way I do in a long time. 

 

And yes of course! All part of the plan really, I naturally love cannabis, like a serious appreciation for it, so I decided cbd would be a great alternative to help out. Honestly it's so helpful and it doesn't even get you high. 

 

There's no knowing what'll happen, so I don't have much else to add 😶.

 

15 minutes ago, Faith said:

 🙂 When I was doing the pans tonight after dinner I was thinking of this thread and what came to mind was that even babies have to deal with addiction. First giving up their binkies, after using it for comfort for months, then when they have to give up the bottle. My God my toddler son looked like a crack addict withdrawaling when I took away the bottle, not even kidding. 

 

 

 

I don't think we quit anything imo, we only allow for more to "come in"!

 

I get that we can say "quit" in casual conversation but I'm being nit picky to emphasize that it isn't actual. 

 

So your son wasn't quitting or a crackhead, he was naturally allowing newer experiences into his life 🙂. 

 

Even if he was keeping you up at 2am 😄🙃.

Edited June 16, 2022 by Orb

[Faith]

13 minutes ago, Orb said:

@Faith feels great! And super fun, I haven't felt as revitalized like the way I do in a long time. 

It's a drug. Basically, you switched one drug for another. Hey, no judgement.. just calling it like I see it. 

 

16 minutes ago, Orb said:

I get that we can say "quit" in casual conversation but I'm being nit picky to emphasize that it isn't actual. 

Definition of "quit"- to cease an action.  I ceased or discontinued all use of smoking/vaping products. I've also stopped drinking any alcohol.

 

When you abstain, completely from doing something and don't replace it. You have quit. In my book. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Orb]

1 hour ago, Faith said:

It's a drug. Basically, you switched one drug for another. Hey, no judgement.. just calling it like I see it. 

@Faith no worries ❤️. 

 

1 hour ago, Faith said:

When you abstain, completely from doing something and don't replace it. You have quit. In my book. 

 

Thanks for sharing 🙏.